Tripod



Jan. 10, 1939. R MOONEY. I 2,143,606

TRIPOD I Filed Dec. 1s, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1V R/MOONEY Jan. M9 i939.

TRIPOD Filed Deo. l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @gli `on the vertical pivot.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in .universal mountlngs and is here shown as embodied in a tripod and, more especially, a tripod with a platform mounted on the top thereof, said mounting permittinguniversal adjustment. The universal mounting is accomplished by providing vertical and horizontal pivots,

Among the features of the-invention is the provision of means for simultaneously or substantially simultaneously locking 'both pivots. Inv

practice, I prefer to so proportion the parts that upon tightening the locking means, one pivot will engage slightly before the other.

Another feature of the 'invention is the provi-` sion of means for'hin'ging the legs to the tripod so that their outward'swingingwill be stopped at a certain point. v

My improved tripod is simple in construction,

easy to operate and provides a sturdy, solid and e iirm support for any instrument Such as a camera, theodolite, or the like.

Other features and advantages oi my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specication.

In that formof device embodying thefeatures of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings-- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation; Fig. 2

is a view in side elevation; Ng. 3 is a top plan view; Fie. i is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line t of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view talzen as indicated by the line 5 of Fig.- 2; Fig; 6 is a plan view oi the tripod with the platform removed; and Fig. 'lis a fragmentary sectional View.

As shown in the drawings, l indicates a suitable support, such as the top of a tripod supported by three hinged legs t, t. it indicates a platform adapted to support the camera or other instrument used on the tripod. It will be helpful to give a general description of the universal mounting of this platform on the top of the tripod before describing the same in detail. .The

vmounting includes primarily a vertical pivot, a horizontal split pivot pivotally mounted on the vertical pivot and two collars carried by the horizontal pivot. The platform is carried by the two collars. One of the collars is split and means are provided `for constricting this collar. This serves to lock the collar against rotation on the horizontal pivot and simultaneously serves to clamp the two parts oi the horizontal split pivot It will-be seen, therefore. that bytightening this single locking means. both pivots are locked and the platform can, there- (ci. 24a-iss) useful when the apparatus isused with a camera as the vertical adjustment of thecamera can be made as desired and then locked, still permitting rotation of the camera in a horizontal plane vfor panoramic views.-

24 indicates the vertical pivot upon which is pivotally mounted the split horizontal pivot 25. It will be seen that this horizontal pivot is split entirely through, the parts being indicated bythe reference numeral 25a and 25h. This' horizontal pivot is provided substantially at the center Awith a vertical bore embracing the vertical pivot 2d. The adjacent surfaces of the two halves of this pivot are slightly relieved so that they may be brought together to clamp the pivot on the vertical pivot and lock it against rotation.

The platform it carries two depending collars it andlll embracing the ends of the horizontal pivot 25, one of said collars lying on each side of` the vertical pivot it. The collar 2t is split,

as indicated at 28- and is supported at a point Y intermediate to the ends of the split collar. Thus, one end of the split collar 23 is shown in Fie'. 2 to be free of the platform 3d. 32 indicates an elongated screw adapted to constrict this collar and provided with an operating handle 3i.

In operation, tightening of the screw 32 operparts. Closing of the collar 23 on one end of the two parts 25, 2d draws the adjacent ends of these two par-ts together, causing' them to fulcruin on the vertical pivot 2li with the result that the opposite ends are separated in the collar tl, thus locking the latter. It will be seen .that this action also draws .the two halves of the horizontal pivot 2li together to lock said horizontal pivot against rotation in a horizontal plane on the vertical pivot ik A washer 39 is fastened on top-oi4 the verhcal pivot E4 by the screw I0 to prevent the horizontal pivot 2li from being removed vertically. v As here shown, the vertical pivot 2l is mounted on a base I0 detachably secured -to the top 1 o! the tripod by thel depending screw Il.

Each of the legs 3 is hinged to the triangular tcp 1 by providing the latter with two depending lugs for each leg in the nature of a clevis, said lugs carrying a pin 5 on which the upper end of the leg is pivotally mounted. indicates a depending lug on the top 1 of the tripod adjacent the pin 5. The lug 8 serves as a stop by engagement with the upper portion of the ieg to limit outward swinging of the latter.

35 indicates the usual screw carried by the platform for engagement with the camera or other instrument to be supported on the platform The screw 32 is preferably made somewhat long so that it will serve as a lever or handle for manipulating or adjusting the platform 36 to any desired position. With this construction, the operator may grasp the handle 33 at the end of the screw with one hand, move the platform to the proper position, and then readily and quickly lock the same in its adjusted position by twistingthe screw with the same hand, Without loosening his grasp.

The screw 32 is so positioned with respect to the platform 3ft and the top i of the tripod that in the appended claims, in which it is my inten- I tion to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A swivel mounting including: a base; a veraieaeoe tical pivot on the base; a split horizontal pivot member pivotally mounted on said vertical pivot; two collars pivotally mounted on said horizontal pivot member on opposite sides of said vertical pivot, one of said collars being split on one side; said collars being adapted to' support an upper member thereon; and manually controlled screw means for constricting said split collar to lock the same on the horizontal pivot member, whereby the said pivot member successively expands against the other collar, locking itself thereon, and constricts upon the vertical pivot locking itself thereon.

2. A swivel mounting, said mounting including: a base; a vertical pivot on the base a split horizontal pivot member pivotally mounted' on said vertical pivot; two collars pivotally mounted on said horizontal pivot member on opposite sides of said vertical pivot, one of said collars being split on one side; a platform mounted on said collars being attached to the split collar at a point intermediate to the ends of the split ring; and manually controlled means for constricting said split collar to lock the same on the horizontal pivot member, whereby the horizontal pivot member expands against and locks itself upon the other collar.

3. A camera support including: a base; a vertical pivot; a split horizontal pivot member pivotally mounted on said vertical pivot; said camera support having means pivotally mounting said support on said horizontal pivot on one side of said vertical pivot and adapted to hold said horizontal pivot in position; and clamping means carried by said horizontal pivot on the other side of said vertical pivot for drawing together at one end the two parts of the split horizontal pivot, whereby said pivot successively engages said rst mentioned means, locking itself therein, and then constricts said split horizontal pivot on the vertical pivot, locking itself thereon.

RAYMOND MOONEY. 

